Pogba: Juventus Prepared to Cut Ties with Midfielder Once Doping Ban Is Confirmed

• French midfielder Paul Pogba is facing a four-year ban over doping allegations
• Pogba opted against making a plea deal, meaning the case will go to trial
• Juventus will reportedly terminate his contract if he is found guilty

Paul Pogba could become a free agent if his doping ban is made official, according to a devastating new report.

The embattled midfielder faces up to four years away from football as Italian prosecutors push for a hefty ban.

After a six-year stint at Manchester United, Pogba re-joined Juventus last year, but his spell with The Old Lady has been rigged with various setbacks, including numerous injuries.

According to Sky Sports, since returning to Juventus, the 30-year-old has made just 12 appearances across all competitions.

Among his latest woes was a provisional suspension after testing positive for banned DHEA. His tests came back positive after Juve’ game against Udinese on August 20.

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Pogba’s B sample came back positive as well and he is now awaiting a sanction that will be imposed on him.

Is Pogba's career effectively over?

In the worst-case scenario, the 2018 World Cup winner could be banned for four years, and this could have direct ramifications on his career.

According to renowned Italian journalist, Fabiana Delle Valle, Juventus will terminate their star midfielder’s contract once the ban has been made official. His current deal, worth €10 million annually, runs until the summer of 2026.

One final hearing on the Pogba case is expected to happen in early 2024, but the midfielder will unlikely take a plea deal for a reduced sentence.

If he gets the four-year ban, the Frenchman will be 34 when he is legally allowed to play professionally again, meaning his ban would go on record as one of the longest in football history.

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Longest bans in football history

As Sports Brief previously reported, there have been players in the past who were also subjected to lengthy bans which negatively impacted their careers.

Diego Maradona, Eric Cantona, and Rio Ferdinand have all served lengthy bans for various reasons, including violence, failing drug tests, and overall indiscipline.

Manchester United legend, Cantona’s infamous flying kung-fu kick at a Crystal Palace fan in 1995 earned him a nine-month ban after he refused to apologise.